CALLERS to York-based firm CPP might have been more than a little put out to find the phone answered by...a pumpkin.

But not to worry, it was all just part of the city's spooky goings-on for Hallowe'en.

Card Protection Plan's call centre, on Holgate Road, came alive with spiders, bats and skeletons as the staff got into the "spirit" of the occasion.

"It's been really good fun," said team leader Lorraine McClaren.

"We've had a competition to do up the desks in fancy dress, so we've had brooms, skeletons and pumpkins everywhere.

"I can even see a pumpkin wearing headphones and apparently answering calls from here."

The desk-dressing contest was judged by Linda Maslan, CPP's head of UK operations, while the staff were also feasting on suitably spooky food, such as "spider cakes" and "eyeball jelly".

At Haxby's branch of Safeway, shoppers could walk through a "Hallowe'en tunnel", complete with ghosts and ghouls, on their way to the deli counter.

The store also held a picture competition for local school children. The winner in the seven to 12 age group was Lea Eyre, with a picture of a witch on a broomstick. The under-seven category was won by Georgia and Natasha Hunt, with a picture of bats and spooks.

Store manager Andy Fitzhugh said the day was a great success.

"The staff have all been dressed up, and they've really had a good time," he added.

Leapfrog Day Nurseries in York held a ghosts and ghouls party, to jazz things up for Hallowe'en.

They had youngsters dressed up in spooky costumes, and rustled up themed food such as "blood red jelly" and "spider spaghetti".

The nursery was decorated with cobwebs, creepy crawlies and bats, with games including apple-bobbing being laid on.

Nursery manager Elaine Armstrong said: "The children had a lot of fun, and there were plenty of frightful sights!"

York's branches of the Halifax bank also got into the spirit of things. They organised a day of promotions featuring local businesses and attractions including Courtneys Gym, the Barbican Centre, Jorvik and the York Dungeon, and offered face-painting and balloons to younger visitors.

"The idea is to give the kids a good time and to help the parents de-stress a bit," said management team member Laura Murray.

But the branch was undergoing a quick switch today, when they swapped Devil's horns for Santa costumes - and held another day of fun called "Christmas Comes Early".

Updated: 10:26 Friday, November 01, 2002